Machine for automatically bursting a continuous strip of stationery into sheets



Sept. 13, 1955 T. PEALLER 2,717,642 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY BURSTING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF STATIONERY INTO SHEETS Filed Nov. 20, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

{1 WITH S,Jl u "Ilium I. lllllllllll mmmu ||||l|l|||| H Illllllllll u llllllllll llllllllll u llll H |||1|| INVENTOR "ml THEODORE PEALLER H Y @wm A 1 2 ATTORN EY P 3, 1955 T. PEALLER MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY BURSTING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF STATIONERY INTO SHEETS Filed Nov. 20, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR THEODORE PEALLER Max ATTORNEY Se t.'13, 1955 LE R 2,717,642

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICAL BURSTING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF STATIONERY INTO SHEETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 20, 1952 IN T THEODO P LLER ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1955 PEALLER 2,717,642 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY BURSTING A CONTINUOUS STRIP 0F STATIONERY INTO SHEETS Filed Nov. 20, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 0 O O O O O AOL-i110 FIG. 7

F C38 i m m $6 FIG. 6

O O O O O O O INVENTOR THEODORE PEALLER ATTORNEY nited States Patent MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY BURSTING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF STATIONERY INTO SHEETS Theodore Pealler, Endicott, N. Y., assignor to Inter= national Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 20, 1952, Serial No. 321,558

3 Claims. (Cl. 164-84.5)

This invention relates to bursting machines wherein the separation of sheets, forms, or IBM type of record cards, from a continuous strip of stationery is successively accomplished.

Modern business recording often requires accurate placement of printing or preprinted lines, blocks, or areas of checks, bills, etc. It is to align said blocks and areas with the printing line that continuous forms are used with marginal pin feed strips and lateral separating strips all of accurate size and relationship with respect to the pin feed means.

When the sheets or forms are tabulating cards, which are to be used later as control elements for automatic machines, it is necessary to preserve clean cut and accurately dimensioned marginal edges on the cards, and

that necessitates extraordinarily careful bursting and trimming. Actually a novel kind of bursting, as disclosed in this application, with removal of a separating strip, is required to produce a perfect card edge.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved bursting machine so coordinated and timed that a continuous strip of stationery is moved continuously at a uniform rate, in a direct route, through the bursting machine, and the cards, sheets, or forms, accurately and positively separated from the continuous strip of stationery. The detached cards, sheets or forms have clean cut and accurately dimensioned substantially straight marginal edges.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bursting device which will at a single station burst a form, card or sheet and a laterally disposed separating strip from a continuous strip of stationery, by bursting successively along two adjacently displaced weakened parallel lines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved bursting device which may readily be accommodated to burst cards, sheets or forms of various lengths and widths from a continuous strip of stationery.

Still another object of the invention is to accomplish the separation, or bursting, of the forms, cards, or sheets, from the continuous strip of stationery at a rapid rate.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view, with the frame broken away in part along the line A-A of the near side member, of an IBM type of record card bursting machine including a strip trimming, and card stacking apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1, with side member 3 and gears 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74 removed, showing the continuous strip of sationery, or the web, positively fed by a pair of pin gears to a plurality of pairs of burster elements.

Fig. 3A is a side View of a pair of burster elements 2,717,642 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 so oriented with respect to each other as to be at the initial point in their cycle of operation.

Fig. 3B is a sectional side-view of a pair of burster elements so oriented with respect to each other as to be at a more advanced point in their cycle of operation.

Fig. 3C is a sectional side-view of a pair of burster elements so oriented with respect to each other as to be at an even more advanced point in their cycle of operation.

Fig. 3D is a sectional side-view of a pair of burster elements so oriented with respect to each other as to be at a still more advanced point in their cycle of operation.

Fig. 3E is a sectional side-view of a pair of burster elements so oriented with respect to each other as to be at the final point in their cycle of operation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a burster element.

Fig. 5 is a sectional end-view of the device taken along the line and in the direction of 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detailed top-view of the continuous strip or web 10.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of a small segment of web 10 with a card detached therefrom: showing in detail the configuration of the lateral scoring and how the bursting or tearing apart occurs within the marginal edge of the card, sheet or form.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

While the present invention may be embodied in various forms of apparatus having different appearance, for illustrative purpose, 'but with no intent to unduly limit the scope or application of the invention, it is herein shown in a very simplified form.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1, a supply of stationery in the form of acontinuous strip 10, folded along alternate transversely weakened lines, or scoring, is held in container 1.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, the physical structure of a typical continuous strip of stationery, or web, 10, is shown; however, the invention disclosed in this application is not limited to the structure of any particular continuous strip of stationery but may be readily adapted to a wide variety thereof. Web 10 has uniformly spaced along each of its longitudinal margins a series of punched holes or apertures 14 (strips so spaced and of such configuration as to be engaged by pins 18 on pin gears 19. Web 10 is both longitudinally (17) and transversely (16A and 16B) scored.

The scoring which results in weakened transverse and longitudinal lines may be of any well known configuration. One form of scoring which may be employed is disclosed in the United States patent application of John McLeod Winans, Serial No. 129,087, filed on November 23, 1949; granted as U. S. Patent No. 2,624,597 on January 6, 1953.

In the United States patent application of Richard H. Holmwood, Serial No. 242,198, filed on August 17, 1951, now Patent No. 2,700,556, a continuous strip of stationery having suitable scoring is disclosed. With but slight adjustment of the bursting machine disclosed in the instant application, the continuous strip of stationery, claimed inthe Holmwood application, may be used.

It will now be apparent, calling attention to longitudinally spaced triangular apertures 15, that if strip 10 is separated, or broken apart, along the longitudinally weakened lines, or scoring, 17 and successively separated, or broken apart, along the transversely weakened lines, or scoring, 16A and 168, that the portions or cards 11 will be substantially of the over-all configuration of the IBM type of record card.

It is to be noted (see Figs. 2, 6 and 7), that the tearing apart or bursting which occurs at strengthened portions I 13A and 13B is within the marginal edges 16A and 16B of the card 11 (i. e. within the lines of weakening and 16B andas a result the detached card 11 has substantially straight edges 16A and 168. Web chip portion (i. e. lateral separating strip) 12 facilitates the accomplishment of the desired result, set forth above, in that the edges of thechip portion are of no concern. In this regard, Fig. 7 shows, in enlarged detail, a segment of web 10, and in particular the configuration of the lateral scoring which results in the bursting or tearing, occurring within the marginal edge of the card, sheet or form.

The bursting machine shown in the accompanying drawing is constructed and functions in the following manner. Web is drawn from container 1, through web-guide members and 31 by the rotation of a pair of pin gears 19 which have pins 18 that engage marginally disposed punched holes 14 of the web and positively draw it forward. Web-guide members 30 and 31 are supported from side members 2 and 3. A pair of striptrimming structures 91, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawing, and as more fully disclosed hereinafter, serve todetach from web 10, the two marginally disposed longitudinally punched portions 90 of said web. Pin gears 19 are properly spaced, aligned and rigidly fastened on shaft 40. Shaft is properly journalled at each end in side members 2 and 3 of frame 5. Gear is rigidly fastened on shaft 40 at a point spaced slightly from side member 2. Gear 51 is an idler which is carried by a stud shaft structure 60 supported from side member 2. Gear 52 is a second idler carried by a stud shaft structure 61 also supported from side member 2. Shafts 41 and 42 are oppositely disposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are properly journalled in side members 2 and 3 of frame 5. Shaft 41 has rigidly mounted thereon a pair of identical gears 70 and 53 spaced slightly from side members 3 and 2, respectively. Gear 72 is a third idler, carried by a stud shaft structure 62 supported from side member 3. Shafts 43 and 44 are oppositely disposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are properly journalled in side members 2 and 3 of frame 5. Shaft 43 has mounted thereon a pair of resilient rollers 81 and 82 which respectively co-act with resilient rollers 83 and 84, carried by shaft 44, to advance card 11 after it has been separated from the center portion of the continuous web or strip 10.

From an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 it is seen that motor 100 has a shaft 101 which has rigidly mounted thereon a pulley 102. Shaft 101 and pulley 102 rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1) and through the medium of belt 103 drive pulley 104 in a counterclockwise direction. Pulley 104 is rigidly mounted on shaft 40. Thus shaft 4'0, pin gears 19, and gear 50 are rotated in unison in a counterclockwise direction.

From an inspection of Figs 1, 2 and 5 it is seen that rotation of gear 50 actuates an entire train of gears consisting of gears 50, 51, 52 and 53. Shaft 42 has rigidly mounted thereon a gear 71 which is so positioned as to mesh with gear 70 which is rigidly mounted on shaft 41. Gears 53, 70 and 71 are substantially identical. Hence rotation of gear 53 in a clockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 2) will result in shaft 41 rotating in a clockwise direction and through the medium of gears 70, and '71, shaft 42 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction at the same speed as shaft 41.

Shafts 41 and 42 each have rigidly mounted thereonfour burster elements. Burster elements 101, 102, 103 and 104 carried by shaft 41 act in combination with burster elements 111, 112, 113 and 114 carried by shaft 42; that is, element 101 co-acts with element 111, element 102 co-acts with element 112, element 103 co-acts with element 113 and element 104 co-acts with element 114. Now considering that elements 101 and 111, elements 102 and 112, elements 103 and 113, and elements 104 and 114 are respectively identical pairs of burster elements, and that the first member of each pair, namely elements 101, 102, 103 and 104', are all in physical alignment on shaft 41 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, it is to be noted that the second member of each pair are all in physical alignment on shaft 42. Further, each first member is oppositely disposed and aligned with respect to its co-acting second member and each pair of burster elements is so positioned laterally as to be in alignment with the stronger portions 13a and 13b of transversely weakened lines 16a and 16b, respectively, of web 10. However, the lateral spacing of the burster element pairs is in no way critical.

in the embodiment set forth in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, there is disclosed four identical pairs of burster elements and each pair functions in identically the same manner. It is to be again emphasized, however, that the invention disclosed in this application is not necessarily limited to this embodiment of four pairs but may readily be adapted to various embodiments including one having only a single pair of burster elements.

Since each burster element pair functions in like manner and in synchronism with every other pair, it will be necessary to point out in detail only the operation of any single pair of burster elements. For this purpose the cycle of operation of burster elements 101 and 111 have been disclosed in detail in Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E.

Referring now to Figs. 3 through 4, it is seen that T- shaped gripper arms 101A, 101B, 111A and 111B are held in wedge-shaped depressions, or recesses 160, of elements 101 and 111. One end of each gripper arm is pivoted between plates 123 and 124 at a point 121, and the axis of each said pivot point is parallel to the axis of shafts 41 and 42. The second end, 122, of each gripper arm projects slightly from its respective circumferential, or rounded surface, namely, one of the surfaces 101C, 101D, 111C or 111D. The circumferential surfaces may consist of a resilient or non-resilient material, or in certain applications be a roughened or abrasive surface. The above-recited circumferential surfaces are circumferential in relation to their respective center points 150 and 250, which are also the center points of shafts 41 and 42, respectively. Pivot points 121 of gripper arms 101A and 10113 lie substantially on a straight line which contains center point 150 at approximately the center of said line. The same geometrical relationship exists with regard to the pivot points of gripper arms 111A, 111B and the center point 250.

The peripheral portion of each gripper arm end 122, may be roughened, of a slightly abrasive character, or of a resilient or non-resilient material. The diameter of a burster element, namely the length of a straight line drawn from a point on one of its circumferential surfaces, through the center point (i. e., 150 or 250) of the element to a corresponding point on its oppositely disposed radial surface is approximately equal to the sum of two card (11) widths plus two chip (12) widths, divided by pi (1r).

Referring again to Fig. 3A and noting, as has been stated earlier, that element 101 rotates uniformly in a clockwise direction in unison, as to speed, with respect to the counterclockwise uniform rotation of element 111, it is seen that protruding surfaces 122 of gripper arms 101B and 111B respectively will engage the opposite surfaces of undetached chip portion 12 of web 10 and will restrain the forward motion of the web.

Referring now to Fig. 3B it is seen that the left-hand or leading portions of circumferential surfaces 101D and 111D have engaged card portion 11 and advance said portion to the left. The gripper arms 101B and 111B pivot about their respective axes 121 and restrain the forward motion of web. 10. Now it is apparent, since web 10 is being restrained and card portion 11 advanced, that bursting will occur at portions 13a of transversely weakened line 16A. Also, as clearly shown in Fig. 3C, gripper arms 101B and 111B become spring-loaded as a result, of the energy stored in springs Spring 130' is a mechanical compression spring suitably mounted (as shown in Figs. 3A through 3E) in wedge shaped depression 160 of the burster elements. It will be apparent that spring 130 could be varied in form and constructed from rubber or material having characteristics similar to those of rubber.

Referring to Figs. 3C and 3D it will be seen that as elements 101 and 111 continue to rotate, gripper arms 1018 and 111B will be forced to pass beyond the center line of said elements. Just prior to the aforementioned occurrence, however, the right-hand or lagging portions of circumferential surfaces 101D and 111D engage card portion 11 of web and advance the web at a uniform rate. As pointed out earlier in the cycle of operation the gripper arms have become spring-loaded and thus when they pass beyond their restraining position, which is somewhere near the center line of elements 101 and 111, they expend their energy (stored in springs 130) by pivoting each about its axis 121, and bursting chip 12 from continuous strip 10.

As seen in Figs. 3B, 3C and 3D a buckle 300 in web 10 occurs as a result of the fact that the web is continuously advanced at a constant rate of speed by the positive pin drive disclosed earlier. This buckle will be collapsed at the end of each cycle as a result of depressed flattened portions 400 (see Fig. 3E) effecting the release of web 10. The peripheral speed of circumferential surfaces 101D, 111D, 101C, 111C is substantially the same as the speed at which the web is uniformly advanced or driven by the pin drive.

Now calling attention to the fact, as pointed out earlier, that the diameter of a burster element is related to the card and chip widths in such a manner that grippers 1013 and 111B functioning as a pair and grippers 101A and 111A functioning as a pair, will, as respective pairs, engage alternate chip portions 12 of web 10; it Will be seen that the cycle of operation outlined above in detail, with regard to a single pair of burster elements, is repetitive and for all intents and purposes is the same as that of the four pairs acting in unison and disclosed in the illustrative embodiment.

The action of the grippers can be summarized as follows: Gripper arms 101B and 111B cooperate with opposite faces of undetached chip 12 and retard it while the preceding card 11 is torn or burst from the leading edge of the continuous strip 10, i. e. the leading edge of the undetached chip. The grippers are retarded in arcuate motion because their centers are closer than the combined distance of both gripper arm lengths plus the thickness of the chip 12. Therefore the grippers bite into the chip, pivot and become spring-loaded. Subsequently, the gripper arms are positively forced over center and springs 130 expend their stored energy in tearing or bursting chip 12 from the following undetached card 11, i. e. the web. The gripper arms are able to be forced over center due to their biting into the chip so that the distance between their adjacent ends will be less than the thickness of the chip.

Keeping in mind the above disclosure, the complete operation of the illustrative embodiment of applicants bursting machine will be briefly repeated. Web 10 is positively drawn forward from container 1 by the engagement of apertures 14 with pins 18 of the pin gear drive means. Web guide members 30 and 31 direct the center portion, namely undetached cards 11 and chips 12, of continuous strip 10 to the four pairs of burster elements. A pair of oppositely disposed downwardly bent, U-shaped in cross-section, structures 91 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 5), each supported from its nearest side member, and each acting respectively in conjunction with a pin gear 19 and web-guide member 31 serve to each detach or burst a longitudinal marginally disposed portion 90 from the center portion of web 10. Strip trimming means such as that disclosed in either the Stolar et al. patent, No. 2,171,769, granted on September 5, 1939,

or the Metzner patent, No. 2,252,720, granted on August 19, 1941, may be used in lieu of structures 91 herein disclosed. The undetached cards 11 and chips 12 are fed to the four pairs of burster elements which may be considered as a single pair, since they act in unison. As cards 11 and chips 12 are burst from the continuous web, the chips drop freely into a suitable container, not shown. The cards 11 are advanced by the burster elements to a point within card guide means 30A, 31A, whereat the leading edge of the card will be engaged by resilient rollers 81, 83 and 82, 84. The resilient rollers 31, 82, 83 and 84 are mounted on shafts 43 and 44 which respectively carry gears 73, and 74. Gear train 70, 72, 73, and 74 functions through the medium of shafts 4'3 and 44 to drive the resilient rollers as pairs consisting of 81, 83, and 82, 84 in such direction as to advance the separate cards 11 into card container 1A.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for automatically bursting a continuous strip of stationery into sheets, a plurality of pairs of burster elements, the first element of each pair being identical to the second element thereof, the first element of each pair being rigidly mounted on a first shaft, the second element of each pair being rigidly mounted on a second shaft, each burster element comprising a member having a rounded surface containing a recess, said rounded surface being concentric with the axis of the shaft on which the burster element is mounted, a gripper arm having its first end pivoted within said recess and its second end protruding from said rounded surface, and spring means contained within said recess for urging said gripper arm against a first edge of said recess: said first and second shafts being adapted to be driven in unison of rotation in such a manner that when said first elements of each said burster element pair are aligned and spaced on said first shaft opposite their respective corresponding second elements of each said burster element pair, the gripper arms of said first elements will cooperate with the corresponding gripper arms of said second elements, whereby said continuous strip of stationery is burst into sheets.

2. In a machine for automatically bursting a strip of stationery into cards, at least one pair of burster elements, the first element of each pair being mounted on a first shaft adapted for rotation in a first direction, the second element of each pair being mounted on a second shaft adapted for rotation in a direction opposite to said first direction, said second shaft being parallelly displaced from said first shaft, each of said second elements being aligned with a first element, each burster element including a rounded surface concentric to its axis of rotation, said rounded surface containing a recess, a gripper arm having a first end pivoted at a point within said recess, and a second end projecting from said rounded surface, and spring means contained within said recess for urging said gripper arm against a first edge of said recess, whereby the gripper arms of said first elements will cooperate with the gripper arms of said second elements to successively burst cards from said continuous strip of stationery.

3. In a machine for automatically bursting a strip of stationery into cards, at least one pair of burster elements, the first element of each pair being mounted on a first shaft adapted for rotation in a clockwise direction, the second element of each pair being mounted on a second shaft adapted for rotation in a counterclockwise direction, said second shaft being parallelly displaced from said first shaft, each said second element being aligned with a first element, each burster element including a partially cylindrical member having two oppositely disposed rounded surfaces, each rounded surface being concentric to the axis of rotation of the burster element, each rounded surface containing a recess, each burster element including a pair of gripper arms respectively associated with said two oppositely disposed rounded surfaces, each gripper arm having a first end pivoted at a point withinthe recess of the rounded surface associated with said. gripper arm and a second end projecting from said rounded surface,

5 burst cards from said continuous strip of stationery.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sherman et al Aug. 19, 1941 Annes Oct. 20, 1953 

